Abstract
Although the 3D trajectory of the body centre of mass during ambulation constitutes the ‘locomotor signature’ at different gaits and speeds for humans and other legged species, no quantitative method for its description has been proposed in the literature so far. By combining the mathematical discoveries of Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier (1768–1830, analysis of periodic events) and of Jules Antoine Lissajous (1822–1880, parametric equation for closed loops) we designed a method simultaneously capturing the spatial and dynamical features of that 3D trajectory. The motion analysis of walking and running humans, and the re-processing of previously published data on trotting and galloping horses, as moving on a treadmill, allowed to obtain closed loops for the body centre of mass showing general and individual locomotor characteristics. The mechanical dynamics due to the different energy exchange, the asymmetry along each 3D axis, and the sagittal and lateral energy recovery, among other parameters, were evaluated for each gait according to the present methodology. The proposed mathematical description of the 3D trajectory of the body centre of mass could be used to better understand the physiology and biomechanics of normal locomotion, from monopods to octopods, and to evaluate individual deviations with respect to average values as resulting from gait pathologies and the restoration of a normal pattern after pharmacological, physiotherapeutic and surgical treatments.
miniCV
University Professor, Chair of Physiology,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine University of Milano.
Minetti has received several distinctions, including:
Distinguished Professor of Physiology (Chiamata per Chiara Fama, CUN, to succeed Giovanni Cavagna, Emeritus Professor of Physiology), Department of Physiopathology and Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Milano, Italy.
Honorary Professor of Computer Science in Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Doctor in Medicine (M.D.) and Specialist in Biostatistics at the University of Milan, Italy. Ig Nobel Prize for Physics 2013, Sounders Theatre, Harvard, US.
Internationally based scientific activity: research fellow at C.N.R. Milan, Italy; C.N.R.-N.A.T.O. Research Grant at Geneva University with Prof. P. E. di Prampero; EU - Capital Mobility Research Grant at Leeds University with Prof. R. McN. Alexander; Professor of Biomechanics, Manchester Metropolitan University 1999-2005.
217 published research papers in exercise physiology and biomechanics (77 of which in SCI ratedjournals, Impact Factor sum = 203.2, average = 3.6), 1 book and 6 papers in computer science, 1 internationally extended patent. The 60% of the SCI rated production is first author, with 10 (16%) papers single author. H-index = 25.
Papers are published in journals as: Nature, Journal of Physiology, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Journal of Applied Physiology, Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal of Theoretical Biology, European Journal of Physiology (Pflügers Archiv), etc..
Many papers have been reviewed in: Nature, Scientific American, New Scientist, Discover, Nature Science Update (On-Line), National Geographic, The Times, etc..
Other details at: www.albertominetti.it/